Shadow or Firelight
by FlamingFlyingFoxOfDoom
Summary: What exactly is death? Is there even heaven or hell? Maybe you just drift... That can't be it. There's never nothing. -FMA belongs to Hirumo Arakawa-


Choking on eternal darkness. Forced to remain alone and broken. He felt some twine around him arms, holding him suspended in the void. Blood dripped down from his mouth, the only hint of color in this dammed place.

He looked up, or was it down? It didn't matter anymore. He remembered pain from his chest and scarlet in the air. He remembered the life being drained out of him. He felt no regret, no remorse. He felt he had done what he was to do.

What was this? This...This was hell.

This is the place reserved for those who had committed the ultimate sin.

The blonde clenched his teeth and attempted to move his arms. What was he fighting against? There was nothing here to fight against. He was alone, complete and utterly alone.

He stopped struggling against whatever it was that held him and dropped his head. More crimson dripped from the corner of his mouth. This was hell, right? Shouldn't it be worse than this? Worse than the loneliness he feels now?

Maybe there was no heaven, no hell. Maybe when you die, you just remain in darkness for eternity. Then what is the point of death? What is the point of being suspended in nothing?

"WHAT'S THE PONT OF THIS?" he yelled out to no one. His voice echoed and continued to echo. Getting further and fainter, becoming twisted and distorted.

He went limp again. How long would he have to bare this? It had to end, otherwise...There was no time. Everything had a beginning and an end, everything originated somewhere. Nothing was eternal. Nothing remained forever.

You are born. You live. You suffer hardships and pain. You push through them. You die.

There's always some light, even in the darkest of caverns. It may not be a lot, it may not be enough, it may be barely a sliver. But it's there. It's hope.

Like a spark on wood.

A dim, lifeless spark. If you feed it, give it what it needs, it will grow. It'll erupt into a flame that would light everything, casting shadows along with it.

The fire would be hope, the light the happy times, the shadows it causes the bad. The smoke may be the poisonous gas that eventually kills you.

So what happens after death?

He grimaced, shaking his head.

It made no sense. Death made no sense. What happens to you after you die? Is this it? Is this all? Eternal darkness? What's the point? What's the reason of this existing?

Why was he here?

He sighed, blinking open his yellow eyes. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

How did he get here?

He remembered a circle, a light. He remembered someone demanding to know what he was doing… He remembered smiling sadly as he looked at…someone. Who was that? That person was important to him, he knew that. But who was it?

What was it they called out as he faded?

'Brother'?

Brother…yes, but who was that?

"BROTHER!"

That was…him? Right? No, that wasn't his name though.

He struggled against the invisible restraints, attempting to break free. Who was he? Who was the person calling him 'brother'?

He remembered something else of that voice… A golden light melting into ominous shadows. Someone reaching out.

"BROTHER!"

"ALL!"

Al…That wasn't his name. That was the name of the one who called 'brother'. Why was he here?

He went limp again and stared vacantly into the darkness. Is this where he'd remain? Or could he somehow escape it? He had to. He couldn't take remaining here. But how could he leave? He was simply frozen.

And alone.

The lonesomeness of the void frightened him. He had to stay here? He cried out again, begging for someone…Anyone.

"PLEASE!" he cried, something wet slipping down his face. He felt fragile, on the edge of being broken. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

A sudden light made him winced, turning his head away. What was that?

"Edward?" a voice said. He gagged and turned to look. A boy with brown hair and yellow eyes blinked hopefully, extending his hand.

Edward simply stared at it. How did he expect him to take it?

"Edward, Brother…" the boy sniffled "Please...Please try."

The blonde observed the boy's hand, and then attempted to reach downward. His arm moved, but a sudden burst of pain flooded through him. He grimaced, keeping his eyes on his hand.

His arm felt as if thousands of thorns were sticking into him, and he was afraid to look. What would happen if he took this hand? There was only one way to find out. For better or worse. For shadow or firelight.

Edward reached, but found his arm refusing to move anymore.

Why?

"Brother, please!" the boy cried.

Edward growled again and put all his effort into moving his arm. What happened after death? Was he to believe this was it? No, there's something more. He had to believe that. There's something… supernatural.

With a final effort, he forced his arm free of the restraints, and took the boy's hand.

Sudden light.

Ed groaned as he opened his eyes, wincing at it. Where was he? He looked over to his side, where a boy similar to the one in the void whimpered.

"Alphonse?" Edward choked out.

"Brother?" Al blinked. A wide grin crossed his face. "Brother! BROTHER YOU'RE ALIVE!" Ed was forced up as his younger brother hugged him. He smiled weakly.

So he wasn't dead? What was that then? That void?

From outside the window, he could've sworn he saw someone familiar. He blinked in astonishment. His mother? Yes. It was Trisha, next to her a man with glasses and an over-enthusiastic smirk. Hughes.

They both waved slightly before disappearing in a soft breeze.

What…What just happened?

**Yeah…Um…Boredom and I wanted to write something depressing. .. Though it ended up making me feel happy for some reason… meh Whatever.**


End file.
